News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-06-16

''He seemed pleased to see me, but a
soon as he had glanced ut the ring hi
: face changed.
) This is not the stone you showed
me yesterday he said in tone tina
made it plain that he thought l mean
} to cheat him. 'At least, he added, tit i
not the same stone. This is not ston,
} at all; it is paste
} so / have been told,' said sadly
Are you sure The jewel showed yol
yesterday was a genuine diamond r
I am certain Of it, he answered.
'The honorable conduct Gas | haC
thought it) of the stranger III refusing
to sell to the jeweler was now intelligi
BILE. The jeweler meant to keep the
real stone. It was not difficult to see
how the fraud had been managed. The
swindler had Had two rings made ex,
stctly alike of a striking and peculiar
pattern. In one of them he had placed
a genuine and very fine diamond. This
was the decoy. IN the other he had
put false diamond, closely resembling
in size and shape the genuine one in the
| first ring. The one he wore and offered
to sell was the true stone When he got
it back from the jeweler he had kept it
change for my eighty pounds. What
was [ to do2
"The first thing was to ascertain
whether my friend had left the hotel.
Of course he had-on the afternoon of
the previous day, still, the scent was so
hot, [ fancied should have little diff
Guilty in tracing him. But when 1 found
him my difficulties would only begin.
OF course he would swear that he had
sold me the ring with the stone which
the jeweler had declared to be genuine.
l might, conceivably, have substituted
paste for the true gem as well as he. In
any case, when [ thought of the diff
Guilty of getting back my money from
an American wandering about Europe,
my neart sank within me. Even if the
police consented to help me, taking my
word against his, even if the rogue We're
convicted, how was L to recover the two
thousand francs?
"These thoughts passed through my
mind as [ hurried back to the hotel
Certainly the prospect was gloomy
enough.
81 easily ascertained that the Ameri-
can had taken the train for Paris the
day before, and determined to follow
him at once. [ did not despair of find
ing him, as he would probably put up
at one of the good hotels.
''On the way up to Paris I could think
OF nothing but my loss. This fellow, l
saw, had hit upon very safe and profit
able method of swindling. In nine cases
out of ten the cheated man would not
discover his loss for years after he had
seen the last of the American, if, indeed,
the trick was discovered at all; for the
paste was quite good enough to deceive
a casual observer, and the owner would,
of course, be actuated by a profound
faith in his diamond straight from
Brazil. Had it not been for the Incl
dent of my finding the ring case, which
the rogue had accidentally dropped, L
should in all probability have unwitting-
money, and he might afterward have
been supposed to be trying to palm off
spurious diamond for a real gem. In
all probability the fellow made a living
and a very good one-by going about
Europe and practising this trick.
''This idea sent off my thoughts on
new track, and by the time I had ar
rived in Paris [ had decided ON my
course of action.
''First of all made careful inquiries
at the railway station as to tall Amer
lean who had arrived at Nice by Ger
tain train Oh preceding day; and, by
the help of some five-franc pieces, |
found the cabman who had driven him
to his hotel-the Continental.
''Ihis being ascertained, I chose n
quiet, unpretending hotel for myself
near one of the railway stations. Then I
emptied the contents of a light bag on
my bed, and, taking it empty in my
hand, [ went to a theatrical costumers,
and saying intended to take part in
some private theatricals, I hired cos
tune of French abbe. ct was part
that L had often played in piece that
had pretty long run in London some
eight years ago, and had little doubt
that would be able to acquit myself in
in fairly well.) [ got the proper dress,
wig, powder and everything complete,
and, having put all the articles into my
bag, L went to one of the railway sta
tions and took return ticket for a sta
ton little way out in the country.
''To my disgust 1 found it impossible
to get compartment to myself, the
train was too crowded, but [ reflected
that the trains returning to Paris would
probably be much less crowded in the
afternoon than those going into the
country.
''In this. supposition I was right. I
hung about the suburban railway station
till return train was about to start. 1t
was nearly empty, and deuceur to the
guard secured me the privacy [ needed.
By the time / returned to Paris | was O
stout, benevolent looking French priest,
IN comfortable circumstances. Ny
suit of tweeds [ had placed in my bag,
which [ took care to leave at the railway
station. Then I made the best of my
way to the Hotel Continental
GO was just in time for the table
d'hote, and as | took my seat I noticed
with great satisfaction that my transat-
lantic friend was sitting not very far off,
and that he had not a suspicion of my
identity. Nothing, [ knew, could be
done until after dinner, so [ waited
through the tedious procession of courses
as patiently as [ could, and when at last
they came to an end, followed the
American and little group of men who
him to the smoking room.
1t was not exactly the place for priest,
but | could not help that.
81 sat down by little round table
near the American, but slightly behind